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rss feedSupporting better welfare for pigs in Europe
Following on from our our Not in my Cuppa campaign, WSPA is supporting an event aiming to get political figures to commit to improving current industrial methods of pork production.
The event held at the EU Parliament in Brussels on February 9, will highlight how intensive pork production methods, like all factory livestock farming methods, are unsustainable and pose a huge risk to animal welfare, the environment, the countryside and farmers.
Read about the event >>
The Hidden Cost of Factory Farming – Pig Business: Time for Change, will feature a special screening of Tracy Worcester’s documentary film, Pig Business, followed by presentations from experts in animal welfare, environment and health and an open floor debate.
MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) and other policy makers are expected to attend. MEPs will be asked by the event’s organisers to undertake six big asks:
1. Recognise that the profitability of factory farming depends on externalising its true costs onto the broader community.
2. Ensure the Common Agricultural Policy post 2013 moves European agriculture away from industrial livestock production to sustainable, humane and autonomous forms of animal husbandry.
3. Ensure better enforcement and strengthening of the existing EU Directive on the welfare of pigs.
4. Introduce mandatory method of production labelling.
5. Introduce a ban on routine prophylactic use of antibiotics.
6. Ensure national and EU public bodies only source high welfare pork
Alexander Brown February 9, 2011 10:40 pm
I can appreciate that free range farming is difficult and has a number of costs compared to intensive farming, but research i have seen suggests that free range housing can reduce chronic and acute stress, allowing for an overall increase in the effectiveness of an animals immune system and an increase in growth rate.
Pigs are intelligent animals which increases their potential for suffering, it is unacceptable to allow pigs to be kept in small, barren enclosures where stress levels increase and escalates into aggressive interactions and physical damage.
Ana Nieto February 11, 2011 2:20 pm
Pueden sufrir como los humanos. Debemos mejorar sus condiciones y su cría.
rory schneider February 11, 2011 5:18 pm
Let the pigs roam in larger spaces please!
Jayne February 15, 2011 8:40 am
I agree Pigs are intelligent animals who deserve to be treated with a more humane approach
and less like a commodity